Environmental Policies
#35Key Findings
Emissions concerns and unaddressed infrastructural needs have left Australia scoring relatively poorly (rank 35) with respect to environmental policy. Its score on this measure has declined by 0.4 points relative to 2014.
Energy consumption levels are generally high, with renewable energy contributions low despite great potential for solar and wind power. Energy prices are high. Some recent progress has been made toward a sustainable energy policy, but emissions-reduction policies have been very slow to emerge despite a 2050 net-zero target.
Environmental policy has focused instead on water-security issues. Some progress has been made with desalination plants and water-management plans. However, sustained droughts have exacerbated the challenges. Accelerating biodiversity decline is a serious concern.
Successive governments have shown considerable reluctance to engage in global cooperative environment-protection issues, though the country is a signatory to many relevant agreements. A new agreement with the U.S. and the U.K. may lead the country to embrace small nuclear reactors.
Energy consumption levels are generally high, with renewable energy contributions low despite great potential for solar and wind power. Energy prices are high. Some recent progress has been made toward a sustainable energy policy, but emissions-reduction policies have been very slow to emerge despite a 2050 net-zero target.
Environmental policy has focused instead on water-security issues. Some progress has been made with desalination plants and water-management plans. However, sustained droughts have exacerbated the challenges. Accelerating biodiversity decline is a serious concern.
Successive governments have shown considerable reluctance to engage in global cooperative environment-protection issues, though the country is a signatory to many relevant agreements. A new agreement with the U.S. and the U.K. may lead the country to embrace small nuclear reactors.
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How effectively does environmental policy in your country protect and preserve the sustainability of natural resources and environmental quality?
10
9
9
Environmental policy goals are ambitious and effectively implemented as well as monitored within and across most relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
8
7
6
7
6
Environmental policy goals are mainly ambitious and effectively implemented and are monitored within and across some of the relevant policy sectors that account for the largest share of resource use and emissions.
5
4
3
4
3
Environmental policy goals are neither particularly ambitious nor are they effectively implemented and coordinated across relevant policy sectors.
2
1
1
Environmental concerns have been largely abandoned.
In recent years, environmental policy in Australia has focused strongly on water security. Some progress has been made over this time, including the construction of desalination plants and the creation of the Murray-Darling Basin water-management plan. However, this focus has not resolved water-management issues, not least because sustained droughts affecting large areas of the country appear to have increased in severity.
Environmental pollution is almost entirely the policy domain of state governments. There is considerable variation in the extent of pollution mitigation across the states, and it is difficult to assess overall performance. However, in general, most states enforce relatively strict standards on environmental pollution. There has been no clear change in this regard in the review period.
Climate change policy, clearly the most important component of environmental policy in the current era, has been largely absent. The federal government remains committed to reducing carbon emissions compared to 2005 levels by between 26% and 28% by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, almost no policies in support of these objectives have been implemented or even announced.
Energy consumption levels are generally high, and despite great potential for solar and wind energy, the contribution of renewable energy to the grid remains considerably lower than it could be. A government-commissioned review of the national electricity market was published in June 2017. Most of its recommendations were accepted, but in the intervening period up to the end of the review period, there has been almost no progress on the policy front. Industry uncertainty therefore persists, undermining incentives to invest in energy generation and contributing to record-high energy prices for consumers, low levels of reliability and very limited progress on emissions reductions.
Biodiversity decline is also a significant concern in Australia, with considerable evidence of an acceleration in decline over recent decades. In response to this concern, in October 2010 the Australian government released “Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010 – 2030,” which provides the guiding framework for conserving Australia’s biodiversity over that period. Various policies to address the decline in biodiversity have been implemented, though more action is required.
While Australia has been slow to implement a sustainable energy policy in the past, the country has made significant progress more recently. Western Australia is emerging as a new energy hub for Australia, and as a hydrogen provider for Japan and South Korea. The AUKUS security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, founded in September 2021, could enable Australia to embrace small modular nuclear reactors, which are currently developed by Rolls-Royce.
Citations:
Australian Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, ‘Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030,’ 2010: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/strategy-2010-30/pubs/biodiversity-strategy-2010.pdf
Murray-Darling Basin Authority: https://www.mdba.gov.au/
In Australien herrscht wegen der Volatilität der Strompreise und der sich häufenden Blackouts eine Energiekrise, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 11. Mai 2017.
Tesla to build world’s biggest lithium ion battery in South Australia, The Guardian, 7. July 2017, www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/07/tesla-to-build-worlds-biggest-lithium-ion-battery-in-south-australia
Electricity Market Review: https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/1d6b0464-6162-4223-ac08-3395a6b1c7fa/files/electricity-market-review-final-report.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/08/the-perfect-storm-woodside-energy-and-siemens-invest-in-australias-hydrogen-economy
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/wa-green-energy-hub-hydrogen-sustainable-power/100292878
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/go-mini-nuclear-with-aukus-rolls-royce-urges-australia-20211109-p597jl.html
Environmental pollution is almost entirely the policy domain of state governments. There is considerable variation in the extent of pollution mitigation across the states, and it is difficult to assess overall performance. However, in general, most states enforce relatively strict standards on environmental pollution. There has been no clear change in this regard in the review period.
Climate change policy, clearly the most important component of environmental policy in the current era, has been largely absent. The federal government remains committed to reducing carbon emissions compared to 2005 levels by between 26% and 28% by 2030, and achieving net zero emissions by 2050. However, almost no policies in support of these objectives have been implemented or even announced.
Energy consumption levels are generally high, and despite great potential for solar and wind energy, the contribution of renewable energy to the grid remains considerably lower than it could be. A government-commissioned review of the national electricity market was published in June 2017. Most of its recommendations were accepted, but in the intervening period up to the end of the review period, there has been almost no progress on the policy front. Industry uncertainty therefore persists, undermining incentives to invest in energy generation and contributing to record-high energy prices for consumers, low levels of reliability and very limited progress on emissions reductions.
Biodiversity decline is also a significant concern in Australia, with considerable evidence of an acceleration in decline over recent decades. In response to this concern, in October 2010 the Australian government released “Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010 – 2030,” which provides the guiding framework for conserving Australia’s biodiversity over that period. Various policies to address the decline in biodiversity have been implemented, though more action is required.
While Australia has been slow to implement a sustainable energy policy in the past, the country has made significant progress more recently. Western Australia is emerging as a new energy hub for Australia, and as a hydrogen provider for Japan and South Korea. The AUKUS security agreement between Australia, the United Kingdom and the United States, founded in September 2021, could enable Australia to embrace small modular nuclear reactors, which are currently developed by Rolls-Royce.
Citations:
Australian Natural Resource Management Ministerial Council, ‘Australia’s Biodiversity Conservation Strategy 2010–2030,’ 2010: http://www.environment.gov.au/biodiversity/publications/strategy-2010-30/pubs/biodiversity-strategy-2010.pdf
Murray-Darling Basin Authority: https://www.mdba.gov.au/
In Australien herrscht wegen der Volatilität der Strompreise und der sich häufenden Blackouts eine Energiekrise, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 11. Mai 2017.
Tesla to build world’s biggest lithium ion battery in South Australia, The Guardian, 7. July 2017, www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2017/jul/07/tesla-to-build-worlds-biggest-lithium-ion-battery-in-south-australia
Electricity Market Review: https://www.environment.gov.au/system/files/resources/1d6b0464-6162-4223-ac08-3395a6b1c7fa/files/electricity-market-review-final-report.pdf
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2019/apr/08/the-perfect-storm-woodside-energy-and-siemens-invest-in-australias-hydrogen-economy
https://www.abc.net.au/news/2021-07-14/wa-green-energy-hub-hydrogen-sustainable-power/100292878
https://www.smh.com.au/world/europe/go-mini-nuclear-with-aukus-rolls-royce-urges-australia-20211109-p597jl.html
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To what extent does the government actively contribute to the design and advancement of global environmental protection regimes?
10
9
9
The government actively contributes to international efforts to design and advance global environmental protection regimes. In most cases, it demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, contributes to their being advanced and has introduced appropriate reforms.
8
7
6
7
6
The government contributes to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes. It demonstrates commitment to existing regimes and occasionally contributes to their being advanced and/or has introduced some appropriate reforms.
5
4
3
4
3
The government demonstrates commitment to existing regimes, but does not contribute to their being advanced and has not introduced appropriate reforms.
2
1
1
The government does not contribute to international efforts to strengthen global environmental protection regimes.
Australia is not prioritizing the advancement of global environmental protection regimes. After winning the 2013 election, the coalition abolished the carbon tax introduced by the previous labor government. While this is a domestic issue, the coalition’s strong anti-carbon tax posture indicates the Liberal party and its coalition partner is much less enthusiastic than the previous Labor party government about participating in a global environmental protection regime.
The current Morrison government has retained the Abbott government’s reluctance to advance global cooperation to protect the environment, though it participates in numerous multilateral and bilateral forums that deal with environmental issues, and is a signatory to many international treaties/agreements. Most recently, the Morrison government signed up to the Glasgow Climate Pact at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties in November 2021. However, the Australian Climate Council argues Australia increasingly lags behind other developed countries in both its commitments and actions to reduce carbon emissions.
Citations:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/02/australia-will-honour-paris-climate-agreement-simon-birmingham-says
http://www.environment.gov.au/about-us/international.
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/crunch-time-climate-action-2020s-define-australia/
The current Morrison government has retained the Abbott government’s reluctance to advance global cooperation to protect the environment, though it participates in numerous multilateral and bilateral forums that deal with environmental issues, and is a signatory to many international treaties/agreements. Most recently, the Morrison government signed up to the Glasgow Climate Pact at the 26th U.N. Climate Change Conference of the Parties in November 2021. However, the Australian Climate Council argues Australia increasingly lags behind other developed countries in both its commitments and actions to reduce carbon emissions.
Citations:
https://www.theguardian.com/australia-news/2018/sep/02/australia-will-honour-paris-climate-agreement-simon-birmingham-says
http://www.environment.gov.au/about-us/international.
https://www.climatecouncil.org.au/resources/crunch-time-climate-action-2020s-define-australia/